Knee Injury in Des Peres, MO

Knee Injury in Des Peres, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and even your long-term well-being. There is nobody in Des Peres, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to aging, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

Are you experiencing knee-related symptoms like pain, swelling, or buckling? You may have a knee injury, whether or not you can identify a specific moment of trauma that could explain the injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Des Peres, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

knee injury Des Peres, MO | Des Peres physical therapy for knee injury

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest human joint and is critical to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans and allow us to performing the complex tasks our busy lives require. The knee is made up of four distinct structures, any of which are susceptible to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are a number of bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are attached by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, the ligaments act to provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones where they meet and works as a shock absorber when movement or weight put pressure on the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, whether soft tissue or bone, are critical to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and any kind of damage to the bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments within the joint can cause a knee injury. If you or a family member recently experienced an acute trauma in or around your knee or suffer from a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee structure, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to learn about the best choice for the treatment of a knee injury in Des Peres, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in Des Peres, MO and the US

The knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — an impeccably constructed joint that makes it possible for us to move and act in ways other animals cannot. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries are just one type of knee injury that people in Des Peres, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following facts and statistics from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Teens and young adults (patients ranging in age from 15 years old to their late 20’s) are the most likely to suffer a knee injury
Men are more likely to have a knee injury than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, together accounting for over a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
After sports injuries, top knee injury causes are home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 13.6%
By far the most common type of knee injury is a strain or sprain, making up 42.1% of all knee injury cases, followed by contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Des Peres, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is damaged. These injuries are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture is a broken bone, which can be anything from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone to something much more devastating such as a comminuted fracture when the bone shatters into multiple fragments. Even the kneecap bone, or the patella, can be fractured during a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other traumatic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Injury to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also cause a tear to the meniscus — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. If you have been diagnosed with or believe you have suffered an ACL injury get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Des Peres, MO ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you suffer from arthritis or a similar condition and experience knee injury symptoms like pain or stiffness, your arthritis may be causing a knee injury and can even lead to the potential development of bone spurs. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreversible damage of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in individuals who frequently perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Des Peres, MO

Excessive weight. Being overweight or obese increases stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequately flexible muscles make it possible to achieve full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some sports put greater stress on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the repeated pounding of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Des Peres, MO. Jobs that require activities that put stress on the knees like auto work or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can break down, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Des Peres, MO?

As with any medical condition or injury, each case is different and it is important that you speak with a licensed medical professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that makes it difficult or impossible for you to function as normal or causes you serious pain. After all, if there was a treatment solution that could treat your chronic pain and restore your mobility in a joint as important as the knee, wouldn’t you try it?

While each injury and patient is different, in some cases emergency medical attention should be sought. Specifically, when you suffer an acute knee injury, the biggest warning sign that you need immediate knee injury treatment is swelling. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Quick, significant swelling that happens in the three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Des Peres, MO

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and seek out medical care right away after you notice a potential knee injury. Especially in the case of an acute or sudden injury, the commonly known RICE method can help mitigate the damage and support your knee injury recovery with a swift response to the trauma.

The RICE method refers to:

Rest. If you experience pain or suspect a knee injury, do not force any activity or introduce any additional undue stress to the joint. If possible, avoid putting weight on the affected knee and minimize movement.
Ice. The application of ice or a cold compress after an injury like a knee injury can help temporarily ease the pain and reduce swelling. When using ice on an injury, do not apply the ice directly on bare skin and remember to follow an alternating schedule of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
Compression. It may be helpful to wrap the injured knee with a soft, elastic bandage or ace wrap. Take care not to wrap the area so tight that it causes pain or cuts off blood and oxygen circulation to the injured area.
Elevate. During the initial resting time after the occurrence of your knee injury, you can use pillows, a stool, or another prop or structure to help keep your injured knee elevated higher than your heart. This elevation can stimulate reparative blood flow to the injury, reduce pressure and throbbing, and encourage the removal of waste from the area.

Getting Physical Therapy for your Knee Injury in Des Peres, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Des Peres, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Des Peres, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to optimal performance, your physical therapist will put their advanced education and the latest empirical data on the most up-to-date treatment practices to use to treat the cause of your Des Peres, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Des Peres, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. From ensuring that your physical therapist is operating with a complete picture of your condition and overall health to consistently practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, it is imperative that you take an active role in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

Your physical therapist will devise a custom treatment plan to eliminate pain and other symptoms, repair tissue damage, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatment modalities to target your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Training to correct posture, gait, or other movement technique
Heat and ice therapies
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Des Peres, MO area have a track record of effectively addressing the source of our patients’ pain, injuries, and movement disorders and returning them to the activities they value. Discover more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide in the Des Peres, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Des Peres, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are experiencing symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a trustworthy healthcare professional as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Des Peres, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Des Peres, MO to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Des Peres, MO